Out of the Box
by God'srider
Summary: What happened after Tony and Ziva got out of the metal box in Boxed In? Ziva offered to take Tony home and make him dinner, what did they talk about? Spoilers for Boxed In!


**I tried to post this yesterday and fanfic wouldn't let me. Sorry! **

**I have been wanting to do a fic on this episode for a long time! I'm not completely sold on how this turned out so let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS only in my dreams!**

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****Metal Box**

Huddled behind the stacked wooden crates, Tony and Ziva discussed their situation. Tony spoke first, "I'm down to four rounds. You?" His breath was short, but his voice remained light.

Ziva answered matter of factly, "Six, but it does not matter."

Tony was confused, "What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Another fit of gunfire rang out as the men outside fired on the holed up agents. Hearing the shots, Tony hunched closer to Ziva and pulled her head down in protection.

When the fire subsided, Ziva continued, "Because a few more bursts like that and we're dead." They looked at each other for a moment.

Tony grimaced at his injury, "I've got an idea."

**Bullpen and so on**

Ziva smirked at Tony's suspicious look. He glanced away looking astonished before breaking the awkward silence that had settled among the team, "You invited everyone, but me?"

Even more silence answered and a tension settled between the people in the bullpen. McGee's neck turned red and Abby bit her lip. Gibbs got his coffee and left the room. Sensing the discomfort, Tony smoothed his earlier comment, "I was busy anyway and I'm sure you guys had fun without me. I know I had fun last night." Tony smiled cockily.

The normal atmosphere returned with Tony's joking comment, but Ziva could detect the hurt beneath his faked smile. "Come on, Tony. You need to go home. It has been a long day."

Everyone exchanged good-byes and shuffled their various directions to leave. Ziva led Tony to her car and they both got in without a word. Once they were on the main road, Ziva asked, "Do you mind if we go to my house instead of yours? All of my cooking things are there already."

"Sure, I don't have much stuff at my place anyway. Plus I may as well see your house since everyone else has." Tony smiled brightly.

Driving more carefully than normal, Ziva eased onto the highway going to her apartment, "Tony, I really am sorry. I should have invited you."

He put on his usual happy attitude, "Oh yeah. It's fine. I get it. You know Ziva you can just take me home. I have leftovers to eat anyway no need for you to mess up your kitchen."

"No, Tony. I do not think you do get it. I must eat anyway and I want to cook for you. Yesterday, you had been so excited about going to see mud wrestling that I did not invite you. I thought you would have more fun at your event." Ziva paused to weave in between two slow moving trucks and take a breath.

She continued, "It was a spontaneous invitation. I had gone to the grocery store at lunch and decided it would be fun to invite the team forgetting you were busy. To be perfectly honest, Gibbs asked where you were, Abby kept telling stories about you, and even McGee looked a little sad when I told Gibbs you had other plans."

"Oh," Tony didn't really know what to say. "Sorry I bugged you so much about it. Thanks for inviting me tonight."

"I wanted to. Tony, you are my partner and I'd like to think we are friends. I do not have many in the States." Ziva surprised herself with her announcement as they pulled into her parking place.

His voice quieter than before, Tony responded, "We are friends." Ziva turned off the car and turned to look at Tony. For a moment they just sat in the car and looked at each other. Then Ziva got out of the car and showed Tony to her apartment.

Unlocking the door, Ziva said, "Do not laugh if it is messy. I do not remember how I left it this morning."

"Can't be worse than my place." Tony laughed. Ziva put her keys on a hook next to her coat rack and Tony followed suit. He then turned to take in her apartment. It was spotless and had a comfortable homey feel to it. "Your place is awesome.

Ziva giggled and slapped his good arm, "It is nothing special." She walked into the kitchen and started to make spaghetti.

Tony followed her like a lost puppy, "I like it. Can I help?"

She laughed again, "No, Tony. Go sit down at the breakfast bar and stay out of my way. You can make the conversations."

Obeying Tony sat on a stool at the bar, he smiled, "Don't I usually make the conversation?"

"True, but you will get in my way if you try to help so you must have something to occupy yourself or you get in trouble." Ziva informed her partner.

"Okay, but I can at least cut the French bread while I talk," Tony offered with a smirk.

Ziva gave him the loaf and a knife and he sat at the counter slicing it. "Where did you find all your cool furniture?"

"Good question. I found most of it at small businesses or antique stores. I like to go shopping on Saturdays and just stroll around with no expectations and no time limit," Ziva stirred the ingredients of her homemade sauce together while she talked.

Tony looked at her listening intently since they didn't often talk on such a personal level. "Sounds like fun. I should go with you sometime. I'm sure you could use someone to carry stuff and I need a new bookshelf."

"Maybe I will call you sometime. You need a bookshelf?" Ziva looked skeptically at him.

Smiling widely, Tony answered, "I need more room for my movies." Ziva laughed out loud and Tony smiled even wider at her.

"Sometimes, you break me up," Ziva added the hamburger meat to the sauce.

"Crack me up, Zi," Tony grinned at the compliment, "I like to make you laugh so thanks."

Looking at him over her shoulder, Ziva said, "Thank you. Work could be slightly depressing without your humor and do not tell anyone that I actually enjoy it. It could ruin our reputations."

Tony laughed, "We wouldn't want to do that. You make work more fun too. I mean don't get me wrong I like my job, but Gibbs and McGee can get a little boring." They both laughed.

A half an hour later, they sat down at her little table to eat. After a while of eating and light conversation, Tony asked in the lull of their talking, "So friction burns?"

Ziva looked at him with her head lowered, "I suppose it will not kill me to tell you. Do not tell anyone or I will shoot you in the shoulder."

Tony smiled excitedly, "Okay, spill it."

"Remember on Wednesday morning, I was extremely tired," Ziva stifled a laugh at Tony's nod. "I did not sleep on Tuesday night because I was standing on the edge of my carpet watching the news and opening a bottle of wine."

Tony frowned at Ziva confusion evident on his face. Ziva smirked and continued, "Well, I got distracted with the news and when the cork finally came out." A slight blush colored her cheeks, "I dropped the bottle and it shattered splattering red wine all over my white carpet."

Trying to hide his laughter, Tony bit his tongue and his eyes sparkled with humor. Ziva glared at him, "I got my little carpet cleaner machine out and worked on it for nearly three hours. It looked very clean, no trace of the wine, but then I discovered it was much cleaner than the rest of my carpet and I continued to clean my whole living room and hallway."

By this time, Tony was nearly bursting with laughter, "Um…How did you get friction burns from that?"

"Tony, I crawled around my house for close to seven hours in my pajama shorts shampooing my carpets." Ziva looked exasperatedly at him.

Laughter erupted from Tony and Ziva joined in. After a couple of minutes, they recovered, "Ziva, that is hilarious. Why couldn't you tell me that when we were stuck in a shipping container for the whole day?"

"It is embarrassing."Ziva giggled.

"It could have been worse." Tony said logically. "It could have stained permanently and you have to explain why there was a stain that resembled blood in your living room." Tony raised his eyebrow in faked suspicion and Ziva went into another fit of laughter.

A little while later, Tony got thirds and Ziva asked, "You really do get hungry in dangerous situations."

"I told you. And it helps that this is the best spaghetti, I have ever had in my life and that is saying something since I am Italian," Tony complimented Ziva before twirling the pasta around his fork.

Ziva smiled, "I am glad you like it. Does it make up for not inviting you last night?"

Tony pretended to think about it, "I forgave you for that as soon as you explained it in the car."

They shared a smile filled with understanding and tender friendship. This was turning out to be a very memorable day.

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**Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it!!!! REVIEW PLEASE because it is good for my self-esteem and helps me update faster!!**


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